Danske Bank A S Purchases 10,135 Shares of Ferguson plc $FERG

Danske Bank A S increased its position in shares of Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG) by 11.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 102,138 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,135 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S’s holdings in Ferguson were worth $22,739,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in Ferguson by 4.6% during the third quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 992 shares of the company’s stock valued at $223,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC grew its stake in Ferguson by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 3,979 shares of the company’s stock valued at $886,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC grew its stake in Ferguson by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 3,132 shares of the company’s stock valued at $697,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in Ferguson by 7.5% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 690 shares of the company’s stock valued at $150,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its stake in shares of Ferguson by 21.7% in the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 292 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after buying an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. 81.98% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ferguson Trading Down 1.3%

NYSE:FERG opened at $264.13 on Friday. Ferguson plc has a one year low of $166.04 and a one year high of $271.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.88. The firm has a market cap of $51.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.68, a P/E/G ratio of 1.99 and a beta of 1.23. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $243.92 and a 200-day simple moving average of $243.79.

Ferguson (NYSE:FERG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.24 by ($0.25). Ferguson had a net margin of 6.93% and a return on equity of 40.37%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.52 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 3.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Ferguson plc will post 11.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ferguson Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.89 per share. This represents a $3.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. Ferguson’s payout ratio is 35.96%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on FERG shares. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Ferguson from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Ferguson from $285.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of Ferguson in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Ferguson from $255.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Ferguson from $260.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $267.27.

Ferguson Company Profile

Ferguson (NYSE: FERG) is a multinational distributor specializing in plumbing and heating products and related building supplies, serving professional contractors, builders and industrial customers. The company supplies a broad range of products used in residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, including pipes and fittings, valves and controls, HVAC equipment, waterworks materials, plumbing fixtures, pumps and accessories, as well as complementary electrical and specialty product lines.

Ferguson operates a network of branches and distribution centers that provide inventory, logistics and value-added services to trade customers.